From the reminiscences of E. F. Hill, a Communist from early adulthood: During my study of Economics Part 1 in 1937, the first essay was on what was called the “theory of marginal utility”. This “theory” has no scientific basis. I said this in my essay. I criticised it from the standpoint of Marx’s theory of value. It never occurred to me that anything would come of my criticism. The economics lecturer was a gentleman well down in the hierarchy of teachers in the university. But I got a summons to see the Dean of the Faculty of Commerce, Professor Copland. He started off with a bit of flattery but then got on to my rejection of the “theory” of marginal utility and my exposition of Marx and Engels. He said that the teaching in the university was of the theory of marginal utility to which all students were required to adhere. But I said: “What if, as I believe, it is not correct and what if Marx and Engels expounded a correct theory of value?” He said he wasn’t there to argue and repeated that it was the theory of marginal utility that was taught and I was expected to adhere to it. Not very long after, an essentially similar thing occurred. The conversation was on a different essay but it was much more threatening this time. I decided there was no future for Marxism or me in the university’s course on economics. I therefore abandoned it, probably to the relief of the professor. https://www.marxists.org/history/erol/australia/hill-last/one-two.htm
And for a coda, a story from the Murdoch dynasty: In the ’forties a couple of us went along to see Sir Keith Murdoch, proprietor of Melbourne’s Herald and radio station 3DB. Our purpose was to ask him for radio time, to be paid for, for the Communist Party. We were ushered into his presence, explained our mission, whereupon he said in a most lordly and authoritative way: “Certainly we will sell you time, it is the policy of the house (of Murdoch) to give everyone a fair go.” He did sell us time. It lasted one session. Then he cancelled it. https://www.marxists.org/history/erol/australia/hill-last/one-six.htm _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
